TOPICS
OFFERED FOR FALL
2004
1.
(AFR) THE AFRICAN
CONTINENT
There are over fifty
countries that make up the African Continent and they are largely overlooked
despite their emerging importance on the world scene. This S/DG would choose which African countries to study during
this trimester. (Other countries might
be chosen in subsequent semesters).
Study might include the history, geography, politics, the part these countries
play and the challenges they face in the world today. Presentation possibilities abound as to the people, cultures,
economies, art, leaders, etc. of the countries chosen.
Common Reading: TBD
2nd & 4th Wednesday, p.m.
2.
(BUD)
BUDDHISM YESTERDAY AND
TODAY
He antedated Mohammed by over 1,000 years, Jesus by 500 years and Socrates by a hundred years. Born into a high-caste Hindu family in what is present-day Nepal, Siddhartha Gautama left his family at the young age of 29 in search of enlightenment. After many years of wandering and searching, he became the "Buddha"--the Enlightened One; he had found the peace of nirvana, in which ideas and consciousness cease to be. We will study the history of Buddhism from its beginnings to its evolution into one of the world's great religions, and we will consider today's practices of 350 million people who adhere to Buddhist beliefs and practices. Presentations can be on the Four Noble Truths, The Eightfold Way, The Five Moral Rules, Buddhist ethics, meditation, chanting, the focus on nature, the meaning of striving for nirvana, etc.
Common Reading: TBD
1st
& 3rd Tuesday, p.m.
3.
(CHI) CHINA:
A NATION IN
TRANSITION
For more than 20 years China has been the world’s fastest growing economy. Now sixth largest in the world, it will soon be fifth. Why is its economy growing so fast? This S/DG will delve into how China is rapidly becoming a world power and how it is managing transition from communism to capitalism. How has China’s rapid growth affected its foreign relations? The group will focus on recent U.S./China issues including trade disputes and the exchange rate.
Possible presentation topics: Effect of linking Chinese currency to American dollar; Enforcement of foreign copyrights in China; Impact of Three Gorges Dam on the economy; Effect of outsourcing U.S. computer programming to China.
Common Reading: TBD
1st
& 3rd Wednesday, p.m.
4.
(CHR) LOST
(AND FOUND) CHRISTIANITIES
How many Gospels were written? If you said four, you’re off by AT LEAST an ADDITIONAL 16, including the ever-popular Gospel of the Hebrews, Gospel of the Ebionites, Gospel of the Egyptians, Gospel of Mary, etc. OK, that was easy; now, how many Acts can you name? Would you believe 6 in ADDITION to the standard canon. Oh yes, there were at least 13 epistles in ADDITION to Paul’s. So as it turns out, early Christians had many other books to read than the 27 books in the New Testament, later accepted as Scripture, in addition to the Old Testament. The readers of these early books also considered themselves Christians, but you wouldn't believe (or might not believe) what they believed! So how and why were these early versions of Christianity displaced, suppressed, reformed or destroyed? This S/DG will consider these and other questions. Bring your skepticism, but be willing to learn the surprising and astonishing story of how the current Christian faith evolved to become what we know today. Each participant will be expected to make a presentation based on his or her research.
Common Reading: Lost Christianities, by Bart D. Ehrman (Oxford Un.Press (2003)
1st
& 3rd Monday, a.m.
5.
(CRE) CREATIVITY
Why are some individuals more creative than others? What is the process by which people make breakthroughs in art, science, the humanities? Is there a decline in creativity in countries or areas where breaking away from the norm is criticized? How do we recognize and stimulate creativity? Creative achievement is a prized feature of the human mind. Creativity is an illusive and fascinating issue for us to explore. Discussions relating to the core book will help us better understand this hard-to-define quality, and each member will do independent research leading to a presentation on the subject. Maybe we will find answers to the questions first posed.
Common Reading: Creating Minds, by Howard Gardner (1993)
1st
& 3rd Monday, p.m.
6.
(ENG) THE ENGLISH
LANGUAGE: ITS SOURCES, CHANGES AND
IDIOSYNCRASIES
Why do we say why what we say? Where did phrases like “white elephant” and “long in the tooth” come from? Explore the mother tongue’s history, and her idioms, slang, jargon, euphemisms, names, and more. Discover what cultures contributed words like “shampoo,” “nitwit,” and “akimbo.” Ponder, perhaps, on America’s regional dialects (have you ever used a bubbler?). What words have become obsolete or changed meaning in your lifetime? How does the English language continue to grow? How did American English evolve from British English? How influential has Shakespeare/mythology/the Bible been on the language? Does the language we use reflect who we are? Is our language gender-biased? You may hear and understand things quite differently once you investigate this sometimes absurd but always fascinating part of our culture. Coordinators will provide a list of readily-available, entertaining and informative books as presentation sources.
Common Reading: TBD
EN1: 1st & 3rd
Thursday, a.m.
EN2: 1st & 3rd
Tuesday, p.m.
7.
(ESS) THE
BEST AMERICAN ESSAYS
OF 2003
The "Best" American essays, which cover a wide range of topics, are selected by a review panel from periodicals every year. In our S/DG each member will select one or two essays for presentation and discussion. The responsibility is to present background and related information about the author(s), and to prepare questions and lead discussions about the essays. Discussions include techniques, styles, dilemmas, and especially an analysis of the issues raised or resolved. The goal is to learn about and evaluate the top American essays of the year.
Common Reading: Best American Essays
of 2003
2nd
& 4th Tuesday, p.m.
8.
(EUR) EUROPEAN
HISTORY
How did Europe evolve from the last Ice Age to the European Union? British historian Norman Davies' scholarly, insightful and witty paperback outlines the process while untangling the complexities of European history. Not just a history of states, the book takes into account all the in-betweens, minority peoples, and the nations without statehood. The book is a holistic history for those who wish to have a good grounding in European history or want to refresh their memories about common culture and political heritage. The first half of the book, from Pre-history to about 1450 A.D. is being covered during the current term.
During the Fall we will cover the period from the Renaissance and the Reformation (1450-1670) to the modern period (1945-1991). It is not necessary to have attended the Summer sessions to be a member in the Fall. Warning: the common reading is quite demanding; we will be reading and discussing over 500 pages of material.
Common Reading: Europe: A History, by Norman Davies
EU1: 2nd & 4th Wednesday, p.m.
EU2: 1st & 3rd
Friday, p.m.
9.
(GEN) GENETICS AND
THE SECRET OF
LIFE
Biology has advanced dramatically since we studied it in high school and college. The language of genetics, DNA, stem cells, and cloning has become common in the doctor's office, in the news, and in the forum of public policy debate. Exciting discoveries and advances are being reported almost every day. As concerned and responsible members of society, we want to understand the basics of what's being accomplished and to be equipped to participate in the deliberations that will affect future generations and us.
This study group is being organized to provide an opportunity to gain familiarity with the language, to introduce the concepts of modern genetics, and to provide a foundation for members to further pursue developments in life sciences. All Omnilore members are encouraged and welcome, regardless of background. We plan to use a popular introductory book entitled, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Decoding Your Genes (Don't be put off by the title) as a framework, and to use supplementary reading handouts from well-known authors in the field to enrich the study content. Presentation topics will be determined (or approved by) the coordinator.
Common Reading: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Decoding Your Genes,
by Linda Tagliaferro, Mark Vincent Bloom
GEN: 1st & 3rd
Friday, a.m.
10. (INT)
INTELLECTUAL HISTORY (1800-1850)
This is the third in our series of Intellectual History courses. Nos. 1 & 2 (17th & 18th Centuries) were well received and very successful. If this course is successful, we will cover the next 50 years (1850-1900) come Spring. Prior courses are not a prerequisite for this enterprise, and signing onto this course does not obligate you to continue in January, 2005. Our topics are: Philosophy, Science, Literature and Political Thought. The subject persons--two in each topic--are Hegel & J. S. Mill; Faraday & Lyell; Goethe & Coleridge; Bentham & Comte. We will present and discuss the thought of each of these individuals within the scope of his assigned topic. The two-hour class period will concentrate only on the individual's thought during the given time period. (We will not be discussing the person’s biography, what influenced them, how their ideas are seen in contemporary times, etc.) In the weeks prior to the presentation, presenters will provide an introduction including references to reading material available in local libraries & the Internet. This handout may include whatever else the presenter may wish to say about the individual which will not be covered in class time. This is not a survey course. It is an intellectually challenging course in which all class members must prepare for each meeting. We have only two hours for each person's thought, so we will make the most of this time. That is the purpose and meaning of Intellectual History.
Common Reading: No Common Reading
1st & 3rd Thursday, p.m.
From hearts and flowers to erotic obsession, from crimes of passion to the gentility of the Victorian gentry, here is a unique collection of original short mysteries by sixteen acclaimed writers – eight men and eight women authors including Mary Higgins Clark, John Gardner, Faye and Jonathan Kellerman, Elmore Leonard, Shel Silverstein, Ed McBain, Joyce Carol Oates, and Sara Paretsky.
In each session the presenters will lead a discussion of the author, plot, characteristics, fascinating sleuths and much more. We’ll discover the techniques used to create mysteries as we analyze their structures, as well as their successes and failures.
Common Reading: Murder for Love, edited by Otto Penzler
2nd & 4th
Monday, p.m.
12. (SCF) SCIENCE
FICTION: AN EXTRAORDINARY MIRROR OF THE 20TH
CENTURY
Some people consider science fiction novels to be westerns in space suites, with rockets replacing horses. Others believe that science fiction novels are composed by men only for men. Yet others believe that you need a math and science background to enjoy it. Even a cursory reading of some stories written by the masters (many of them women) can put an end to these misconceptions. The writing, the character development, the stories, and the social criticism place science fiction on par with other serious forms of literature. This course will look at science fiction as a reflection of the changes that have taken place in society as a whole during the 20th century. We will read stories of some of the masters including Jules Verne, Ursula K. Le Guin, Isaac Asimov, Robert A. Heinlein, Anne McCaffrey and perhaps your favorite author. In addition to researched presentations, the class will discuss the stories as literature. We will look at the assumptions made and how they have had to change as time caught up with and passed some of these classic authors, and as society as a whole has changed its focus from colonialism to world destruction, to computer technology, to robotics, and to biotechnology as the hope for the future.
Common Reading: The History of Science Fiction, by Ron
Miller
(Franklin Watts, Inc., 2001)
2nd & 4th
Thursday, p.m.
13. (SOU) THE SOUTH: MYTH AND REALITY – A S/DG with Travel
This is the fourth Omnilore class designed to enhance our learning experience through related travel. The class will focus on the culture of the South and how it came to be. We will consider geography, architecture, literature, music, and political and economic pressures. We will discover situations that, though research shows to be myths, have been passed down as reality. One such situation involves the number of affluent blacks who were themselves slave holders.
Specific areas for presentations include early southern colonies and why and how they came to be; the rise of the slave trade and the economic pressures relating to it; the political evolution of slavery between 1776 and 1863 and, in particular, how it was dealt with during our nation's formation; issues and consequences of the Civil War; the evolution of southern literature and music; and recent changes in the South.
Our trip to the South will begin October 11 and end October 19 with flights between Los Angeles and Atlanta. It will include cities such as Savannah, Charleston and Winston-Salem. We will experience history, the lifestyles and arts of people who have called the South their home. On our trip we will be traveling with a noted southern author and local guides who will bring a wealth of background information to help interpret what we see. Neither attending the class nor taking the trip is a requirement for the other, but the group size will be limited to maximize the comfort of those who do go. Those taking the class will be given first priority. You will be receiving a separate flyer giving the trip¹s itinerary and cost.
Common Reading: TBD
2nd & 4th
Friday, a.m.
14. (WRI)
THE WRITING MIND
This S/DG concentrates on fostering creativity and improving techniques of the writer through the production of original pieces, literary critique and presentations by each group member. Presentations are on literary topics or on the philosophy and subtleties of writing. Each member will be responsible for: a presentation; at least two submissions of original fiction, non-fiction, poetry, or other form of writing; and for reading and critiquing submissions.
Common Reading: TBD
2nd & 4th
Tuesday, a.m.
15. (CSU)
PERSPECTIVES ON THE 2004 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
Lecture Course
at CSUDH - Beginning September 8th through December 1st.
The 2004 Presidential Election is the topic of the fall 2004 Omnilore-CSUDH lecture series. A series of presentations will examine this year’s national election from a variety of disciplinary perspectives in order to capture the scope of this phenomenon. University professors and experts in the political process will discuss issues such as comparisons between the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections in terms of demographics, coalitions and campaign financing; the Presidential election in the new era of terrorism; media coverage of the elections; American party politics in relation to key historical presidential races; depiction of elections in movies; media coverage of the 2004 election; and the rhetoric of political campaigning.
1st & 3rd Wednesday, a.m.